Begonia plant named ‘Binos Soft Pink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Binos Soft Pink’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; double flowers that are pink in color and held above the foliage; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Binos Soft Pink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known asElatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Binos SoftPink’.

The new Begonia was discovered by the Inventor in a controlledenvironment in Ermelo, The Netherlands, in September, 2002, as anaturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemalis cultivarBinos, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,657. The new Begonia wasobserved as a single plant in a group of flowering plants of the parentcultivar. The selection of this plant was based on its flowercoloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands, has shown that theunique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Binos Soft Pink’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeated observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Binos Soft Pink’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Binos Soft Pink’ as a newand distinct Begonia:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Double flowers that are pink in color and held above the        foliage.    -   3. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new cultivar are most similar to plants of the parent, thecultivar Binos. Plants of the new cultivar differ primarily from plantsof the cultivar Binos in flower color as plants of the cultivar Binoshave red-colored flowers.

Compared to plants of the cultivar Binos Pink, disclosed in a U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 11/050,878 filed concurrently, plants of thenew Begonia have lighter colored flowers than plants of the cultivarBinos Pink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Binos Soft Pink’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Binos Soft Pink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary signifcance are used. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Ermelo, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in aglass-covered greenhouse. Average day and night temperature was about20° C. during the first three to four weeks then lowered to an averageday and night temperature of 19° C. until flowering. Four weeks afterplanting rooted cuttings in 14- cm containers, one week of longnyctoperiods of 16 hours was given followed by short nyctoperiods ofeight hours until flowering. Plants used for the photographs and thedescription were about four months old.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Binos Soft Pink.-   Commercial Classification: Elatior Begonia.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of    Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Binos, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.    13,657.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Cuttings.        -   Time to develop roots.—About 40 days at temperatures of            20° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, well-branched and            spreading. Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed            to form tubers.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Upright and mounded plant habit, inverted            triangle; freely branching with good stem and stem base            strength. Flowers are double and abundant. Plants flower            continuously.        -   Growth habit.—Moderate growth rate, vigorous. Suitable for            12 to 15-cm containers. Under optimal environmental and            cultural conditions, usually about four months are required            to produce proportional 13-cm potted plants from cuttings.            Vegetative shoots are formed at basal nodes and flowering            shoots are formed at upper nodes.        -   Plant height.—About 25 to 30 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Simple, alternate. Developing leaves,            length: About 5 to 6 cm. Developing leaves, width: About 4            to 6 cm. Fully expanded leaves, length: About 14 to 16 cm.            Fully expanded leaves, width: About 13 to 15 cm. Shape:            Asymmetrically reniform. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cordate.            Margin: Doubly serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color:            Developing leaves, upper surface: Closest to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Closest to 191B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: 148B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:            146D. Petiole length: About 1 cm to 7 cm. Petiole texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Petiole color,            developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: 152C. Petiole            color, fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: 174B            to 174C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Double flowers with numerous tepals            arranged in axillary cymes. Usually 9 to 12 flowers per            cyme. Many cymes in flower simultaneously. Flowers            positioned above the foliage. Flowering continuous.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants will flower year around            regardless of nyctoperiod, however plants flower earlier and            more abundantly from mid-February until November in the            Northern Hemisphere.        -   Flowers.—Shape: Rounded. Diameter: About 6 to 7.5 cm. Depth            (height): About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 to            1.8 cm. Color: 145C.        -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per flower: Usually            about 30 per flower. Size: Outer tepals: Length: About 3.2            to 3.8 cm. Width: About 3.5 to 4.5 cm. Inner tepals: Length:            About 8 to 11 mm. Width: About 7 to 12 mm. Shape: Rounded            flabellate. Apex: Rounded. Margin, outer and inner tepals:            Slightly crenate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening, outer tepals, upper            and lower surfaces: 65D. When opening, inner tepals, upper            and lower surfaces: 56D. Fully opened, outer tepals, upper            surface: 39C. Fully opened, outer tepals, lower surface:            38B. Fully opened, inner tepals, upper and lower surfaces            surface: 159D.        -   Flower bracts.—Arrangement: Two, opposite. Shape: Broadly            cordate. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Angle: Erect. Length: About 4 to 6 cm. Texture:            Slightly pubescent. Color: 146D.        -   Pedicels.—Angle: Erect. Length: About 1 to 2 cm. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None            observed.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed            as reproductive organs are not formed.-   Postproduction longevity:    -   -   Individual flowers.—Generally about two to three weeks.        -   Whole plants.—About six weeks under interior conditions.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Begonia has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named ‘Binos Soft Pink’,as illustrated and described.